There is a battle going on between Illinois newspapers and the Illinois High School Association over the selling of photographs from these events. It has turned into a real donnybrook in my old stomping grounds. As I recall from my days with The Courier News in Elgin, the IHSA could be a real pain once the time came to cover championships, whether or not the money was involved.

The issue is tangled with many voices shouting their two bits. I have even thrown mine onto one a message board at sportsshooter.com. A public entity not allowing photographers to cover an event is egregious if others are allowed to if they sign certain agreements. It all comes down to control. These are newspapers that cover events throughout the school year, working for the interests of the readers, and often the only ones at these events. To deny access, because the newspaper sells photographs from sporting events sponsored by a public entity, is stepping a little too far into the realm of oppression.

Posted by Christopher Assaf at 4:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Rene Werse: AFP/Getty Images

Fires are bad enough, but this would freak me out. This picture does that well on its own.

During a fire Monday in Germany, a baby was dropped 40 feet from a window to safety, injuring an emergency worker in the process. The photo, one of which is above, is by Rene Werse and transmitted by AFP/Getty Images. The varying types of coverage are interesting studies, as evidenced in The Guardian, The Sun, and The Independent -- all from the United Kingdom.

The fire happened in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and nine people were killed.

Even without seeing this photo, just glimpsing the headlines, I was reminded of a series of photograph that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1976. This is one of the images Stanley J. Forman, of the Boston Herald American, showing the collapse of a fire escape and a woman and child falling. The woman died while the child survived. A horrific image, it helped force municipalities to change and strengthen fire codes to help prevent such a tragic event from happening again.

Posted by Christopher Assaf at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

it is worth looking at David Stephenson's amazing 'A New Dawn' photo essay, a four-year project he did at The Lexington (Ky.) Herald-Leader about a woman's struggles through the drug court, published last fall. It's another example of the power of photojournalism and the way it can facilitate reader interest and grab their attention in ways other forms of storytelling cannot.

This is what photojournalists can do -- provide intimate, powerful images in a unique way that tell stories and have impact. Snapshots will never, in my mind, replace this kind of reportage except as space filler.

Powerful stuff. 

Posted by Christopher Assaf at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

The mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick, is undergoing a formidable amount of scrutiny for some possible misdeeds; one of which is perjury. Consequently, the press and television are following his every move. I just came across this at SportsShooter.com concerning Detroit Free Press video photographer Mandi Wright getting jostled (see the video in the player on the lower right of the page) by the mayor before he enters a church for a speech -- a speech of apology.

As he passed Wright, after pushing past a WXYZ-TV reporter Steve Wilson asking a question, he swung his arm and (visible in WXYZ-TV video) pushed her back, camera into face. You can hear her react "oh! ow! oh...!" Kilpatrick acted as if nothing happened until after Wright immediately stated "Come on -- you just punched me! You just hit me! You just hit me!" and Wilson came out of his long pause and said "Please don’t push me, sir." 

"So what?" Kilpatrick responds. He snaps to and immediately asks Wilson if he is OK while shaking his hand.

It is never right for anyone to touch a photographer or reporter. They are doing their jobs; as a long-time political, and public, figure the mayor should know better. By dismissing the situation -- or marginalizing it -- damage can be done. If we allow this sort of behavior and make it appear acceptable, and it is appalling some of the photographers do in the SportsShooter forum, then we belittle ourselves.

It is also dizzyingly appalling Wilson made his report more about himself than the actions of Kwame Kilpatrick, completely ignoring the fact he manhandled the video photographer more than himself. By failing to mention it, clearly visible in the station's video, I have to draw his reporting into question. But to give him a little credit, he does mention it in Thursday's report and does not focus so much on himself.

New info: In another WXYZ video from Thursday, the press and reporters are kept away from Kwame Kilpatrick even though they are on a public sidewalk. A police officer, I assume, pushes away a reporter who responds by stating, "This is a public sidewalk." He responds, "Not for you." Blatantly unconstitutional, as are the new rules put into effect at the Detroit City Hall -- a public building.  

Posted by Christopher Assaf at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Sometimes I ask myself "What is the world coming to?" This came to mind after reading of a photographer getting a kick to the knee, in the physical sense, by a mid-term appointee in the Colorado legislature; one who has drawn much attention to himself because he wanted his swearing in on the floor during session instead of private as is customary for such appointees in the Colorado House.

This boot came with Bible in hand and during morning prayer.

How ironic -- at the time of the kicking, caught on tape as a television videographer rolls, Douglas Bruce was a guest for not being sworn in previously. And his fellow GOP members, in caucus, voted for his ouster if he did not take the oath by the end of the day. He did so later.

It is always difficult to photograph during prayers or the playing of the National Anthem. However, it is what photojournalists do, in private and public, all the time. Television shows prayer during many a live or taped program -- they get no grief. Why should it be different at this particular time?

Prayer is intimate, no doubt about it, but on the floor in a public setting, where the journalists are welcome, there should be no question: what happens on the Colorado House floor does not stay on the Colorado House floor. This is assault would not be allowed if he kicked a fellow appointee, an assistant or a police officer.  

Javier Manzano, photographer with the Rocky Mountain News, did nothing to deserve this horrendous breach of etiquette. (Full disclosure: I know some people who have worked for, and are currently with, this publication.)

Posted by Christopher Assaf at 4:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
                    

While getting ready for work Thursday morning, listening to Morning Edition on WYPR, a report of Benazir Bhutto's assassination interrupted the normal programing. Later that day, having returned to the office, I checked the coverage within the system and learned Getty Images photographer John Moore was on the scene. Moore has been covering Bhutto's return to Pakistan since October.

The veteran conflict photographer made some truly stunning pictures of the explosion, carnage and ruin on this sad day for Pakistan. Later in the day he did a phone interview with CNN telling the story of his harrowing experience. There is also a slide show presentation.

"You're there and you react, try to do the best that you can in a very, very grim environment," he said.

Posted by Christopher Assaf at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

NOTE: It appears, thanks to the entry -- with photo -- by Carlos Miller, the photograph the photographer made of the Arkansas State Trooper is quite innocent. In my attempt at constraint I may have been a little to skeptical.

The photographer arrested at the scene of a small fire in Arkansas, mentioned in a previous post, had the charges against him dropped. The Arkansas State Trooper has been assigned office duties pending the outcome of an internal investigation. The latest story does clear up whether Bill Lawson photographed the trooper, which he did before being arrested, something Lawson first-person story does no clearly state. This might have provoked the reactionary efforts by State Trooper Tom Weindruch.

Posted by Christopher Assaf at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

I wanted to share an interesting first-person account by Arkansas journalist Bill Lawson after he was arrested at the scene of a fire. He gives some engaging insights into what can go bad in a difficult, stressful situation. It is strange he spent a lot of words detailing his personal woes, but to each their own. He appears to show a lot of respect for law enforcement as he describes his alleged mistreatment.

All photojournalists -- and many journalists -- know each situation involving firefighters or law enforcement can be a treacherous razor's edge to maneuver. In my own experience, some situations have devolved unnecessarily. There have been a variety of reasons, some my fault and others not. But most of the time these squabbles were avoidable and easily should have been.

Having a dialog among press and emergency personnel leaders can help avert possible misunderstandings, such as Lawson's. A greater understanding of the press by emergency personnel creates respect. Knowing this means the press will not push more than they should if certain guidelines are followed by all involved. Allowing each situation to define itself without guidelines adds stress and creates a cat-and-mouse game that can go bad for all involved -- in particular for the working photographers, who, by wearing cameras, are often targeted.

Posted by Christopher Assaf at 9:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
                    

Posted by Christopher Assaf at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
                    

This Sportsshooter Web site has been going since 2002 and is very popular among some of the photographers around the country. I have thought of joining since 2003, when I returned to newspaper work, but have procrastinated until now. My page was listed starting today.

It is quite doubtful I will take part in the forums — Photo Edge keeps me busy enough, and there's more I could do — but I will peruse them. In particular the technical stuff. But it is another way to get my work out there and connect with the photojournalism community at large.  

Posted by Christopher Assaf at 9:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
                    

This is amazing. Lewiston (Maine) Sun Journal photographer Russ Dillingham made photographs of the news and became a part of it. He photographed a bouncy police suspect and then tackled the fugitive as he was running from police.

There could be a lot of ethical talk about whether or not is was the right thing to do, but I give him kudos for his brave move and deftness with the camera.

(In the name of full disclosure, I knew Russ when I worked in Maine.) 

Posted by Christopher Assaf at 9:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)